NHL Playoffs 2024 Conference Finals brackets: Confirmed matchups, potential clashes and more explored

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are nearing the end of the second round. Up next are the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

In the East, the tie is set with the New York Rangers facing the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, the Western Conference brackets will soon determine the two teams that will advance into the Conference fInals.

Here are all the confirmed matchups and related details heading into the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Eastern Conference

New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers

Playoffs record this season:

• Rangers: 8-2
• Panthers: 8-3

Playoffs H2H:

• Rangers 1-0 (4-1) Panthers

Leading scorers in the playoffs this season:

• Rangers: Vincent Trocheck, 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists); Mika Zibanejad, (3 goals, 11 assists)
• Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk, 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists)

Western Conference

Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks/Edmonton Oilers

Playoffs record this season:

• Stars: 8-5
• Canucks/Oilers: 7-5* (Canucks); 7-4* (Oilers)

Playoffs H2H:

• Canucks 2-0 (8-4) Stars
• Stars 6-2 (27-15) Oilers

Leading scorers in the playoffs this season:

• Stars: Miro Heiskanen, 13 points (5 goals , 8 assists)
• Canucks: Brock Boeser, 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists); J.T. Miller, 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists)

Playoffs Recap

The New York Rangers swept the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. They then advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.

Their opponent in the Conference Finals will be the Boston Bruins, who won their first-round series 4-1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The Bruins secured their spot in the Conference Finals by overcoming the Florida Panthers in a hard-fought six-game series.

In the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars had a challenging first-round victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, winning the series 4-3. They then faced the Colorado Avalanche, the defending Stanley Cup champions and triumphed 4-2 in six games. The Stars will face the winner of the Game 7 matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks, who are currently tied 3-3 in their second-round series.

Conference Finals Playoff Format and other details

The NHL playoffs follow a best-of-seven series format in the conference finals. The team that wins four games first will advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Home-ice advantage is awarded based on regular-season performance, providing a significant edge to the higher-seeded teams.

Key dates and schedule

Eastern Conference Finals schedule:

Game	Date	Time	Matchup	Broadcast Channels
1	Wednesday, May 22	8 p.m.	Florida Panthers at NY Rangers	ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
2	Friday, May 24	8 p.m.	Florida Panthers at NY Rangers	ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
3	Sunday, May 26	3 p.m.	NY Rangers at Florida Panthers	ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
4	Tuesday, May 28	8 p.m.	NY Rangers at Florida Panthers	ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
5	Thursday, May 30	8 p.m.	Florida Panthers at NY Rangers	ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
6	Saturday, June 1	8 p.m.	NY Rangers at Florida Panthers	ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
7	Monday, June 3	8 p.m.	Florida Panthers at NY Rangers	ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS

Western Conference Finals schedule:

Game	Date	Time	Matchup	Broadcast Channels
1	Thursday, May 23	8:30 p.m.	Vancouver/Edmonton at Dallas	TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
2	Saturday, May 25	8 p.m.	Vancouver/Edmonton at Dallas	TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
3	Monday, May 27	TBD	Dallas at Vancouver/Edmonton	SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, truTV, MAX
4	Wednesday, May 29	TBD	Dallas at Vancouver/Edmonton	SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, truTV, MAX
5	Friday, May 31	TBD	Vancouver/Edmonton at Dallas	TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
6	Sunday, June 2	TBD	Dallas at Vancouver/Edmonton	SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, truTV, MAX
7	Tuesday, June 4	TBD	Vancouver/Edmonton at Dallas	TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS